Treats An Alternate Chapter 6
by Eelisa America
Summary: And if Chase hadn't pushed Away? For chapters 15, read the original Treats you can find it under my profile.


She slipped her white lab coat from her shoulders to fall to the ground. She took off her shoes and carefully placed them beside the door. Chase followed her with both of their cases and Cameron's wet jacket, all of which he set down alongside Cameron's shoes. He gathered her lab coat and tossed it on top of the pile. Cameron flinch at the feel of Chase's hand on the small of her back, but allowed herself to be lead to her couch at the edge of the living room. Cameron sat quietly.

"Thanks," she said.

Chase offered a comforting smile. "Is there anything else I could do?"

Cameron shook her head and leaned against the back of the couch. She brought her hand to her forehead and rested her elbow on the side arm.

"Water," Chase said. "I'll get you some water."

He ran his fingers through his damp hair and glanced around the apartment. He walked into the kitchen and searched through the cupboards for a glass.

Cameron could hear the tap water from the living room. She brought her feet beneath her and sighed. He was trying to help, she knew that much. But at the moment, all she needed was some brandy and a warm blanket. Cameron squeezed her eyes shut, but she couldn't help but see herself earlier that day. She had cried like an emotional… woman. She now mentally kicked herself from reacting so violently in front of House, giving him that much satisfaction. What could possibly drive him to do such a thing? Cameron snorted bitterly. And Wilson felt it was necessary to warn her not to break _his_ heart. Caring for someone like House was as masochistic as it was hopeless.

"He's sick," she whispered to the living room.

"Dr. House?" Chase asked, returning to the living room. He set the glass of water on the coffee table in front of her and took a seat on the other side of the couch. Neither Chase nor Cameron had bothered to turn on the main light; they simply sat under the dim glow of a small lamp beside the sofa.

Chase watched her sip from the tall glass of water. Her hands shook, the water silently trembling against the crystal. She breathed heavily and slowly, each exhalation quivering with the effort to not sob. Her eyes stared directly in front of her, while her mind settled into a quiet hum of muffled thoughts. The rims of her eyes were red from refrained tears.

Chase glanced around the room, admiring the large amount of books that rested on a hanging shelf above his head. He leaned forward and folded his hands into each other.

"I feel like I should be doing something better."

"What do you mean?"

Chase swallowed and stared at the dark green rug beneath his shoes. "As a friend I guess. To help you feel better. I've honestly never been one for comforting others."

Cameron set the water back down. "I can tell."

"Ouch."

"You're doing fine, Robert. I just need some sleep."

"That's probably a good idea."

"Thanks for bringing me home."

"No problem."

Cameron smiled at his pronunciation of 'problem.' Its inflection was foreign and clearly brought out his accent.

"Problem," she repeated as American-ly as possible.

"Problem," Chase said.

"No… problem… not _probe_-lem."

"Ever think that maybe _you're_ pronouncing it wrong?"

Cameron lowered her eyebrows. "I'm sorry what country are we in right now?"

Chase's laugh echoed through the living room. The atmosphere suddenly seemed warmer, more comforting. Cameron became aware of how is presence unobtrusively filled the room with a soothing air of affection. Cameron frowned and regarded her co-worker once again – this time without the reservations that had held her together since House's examination.

His dark blonde hair was tousled dry and stuck up in odd places. His eyes were dark with quiet concern. He wasn't amazingly attractive, but there was an endearing quality about his face; it seemed incredibly open and honest that night. All the contemptuous edge he displayed at work had dissolved into soft compassion. Cameron was surprised that a person could change so much from one place to another.

"Why are you so different now?" she suddenly asked.

"What do you mean?" Chase knew exactly what she meant.

Cameron shook her head slowly. "I don't know."

She titled her head and tried to pinpoint exactly what made him seem so much more… inviting. Cameron straightened the collar of his shirt and rubbed the material smooth against his chest. She smoothed his hair back down into a somewhat manageable style. Chase gazed into her pale green eyes, wishing he could read her thoughts. What was it about him that had changed so much in one night?

In him, she saw a brand new opportunity to feel. She had always put her emotions first in situations, always asking how a decision would make her feel afterward. Now, she wanted to scrap all that sentimental crap. It had been too long since she had had sex for sex. And somehow Cameron knew that that was exactly what she needed that night. The answer to plain old physical need was sitting next to her.

She brought her hands from the top of his head to the sides of his face. She leaned forward and pressed her lips roughly against Chase's, her eyes still staring into his. Chase hesitated, his hands on her hips, ready to pull her toward him or push her away. She was upset and vulnerable. Would she regret whatever happened between them that night? Would he be able to handle it if she did? Chase grimaced.

He pressed his lips back against her and pulled her over the couch to him. She brought a leg over his lap and straddled him while her hands wandered to his shoulders. Her dark, silken hair curtained his face and neck. They kissed with raw desire and confusion and need. Their lips parted and their tongues danced feverishly. Chase pushed all thoughts of right and wrong from his mind and his hands crept underneath Cameron's blouse, his fingers lightly stroking her lower back. Cameron quickly undid each button of Chase's shirt. She didn't try to analyze her feelings for Chase. Desperation. Confusion. Whatever prompted her to press Chase against her, it was now in complete control of her and she refused to resist it.

Cameron swept the shirt from his shoulders and squeezed the toned muscle of his arms, her fingernails digging into his skin. Chase winced. Cameron raised her body from his.

"Sorry," she said. She hoped she hadn't scared him. She wanted – needed – to have him that night. She searched his face for any apprehension. Chase said nothing. He looked up into Cameron's eyes and simply pulled her back down into a kiss. She smiled against his lips and rolled her hips back so her hands could find the fly of his pants. His heart skipped a beat at the sound of his zipper lowering. Chase managed to remove Cameron's shirt and was now focusing on the opening of her own pants. Cameron pulled her mouth from his and brought her feet to the ground to stand just enough to pull her legs from the legs of her pants. She once against brought one bared leg to either side of Chase's as she kneeled over his body – looking down on him. They only undressed until everything necessary was accessible. Both of their faces were void of compassion or even lust.

They had surrendered to the impulses of their bodies, their thoughts trapped in the back of their minds. Their sex was automatic. They moved into each other with purpose and power. And when they were both satiated with physical pleasure, they silently parted and dressed.

As Chase's instinctive drive ebbed, he could feel fear and regret creeping into his heart. He glanced over at Cameron. She took small sips of the water and stared into the distance; she taken a small blanket from beside the couch to spread out onto her lap.

"This doesn't have to be awkward," she whispered to the living room. "Please don't analyze this. It doesn't have to be awkward." She turned her head toward Chase. "Please."

Chase nodded and zipped his pants close. He dug into his pockets and retrieved his wallet. He counted out forty dollars for tomorrow's taxi fare. He tossed the bills onto the table. Cameron glanced at the money and quickly shut her eyes. He stood and walked over to the door. He separated his belongings from hers and turned around to look at Cameron.

"Goodnight, Allison."

Cameron flinched as the door clicked shut.


End file.
